Listening to Anastasia

We met a remarkable group of faith-based, high school students this week. Photos from their visit are here. We asked junior, Anastasia to write about her experience. Here is what she had to say.

By Anastasia – “On November 4, 2015, fifteen eleventh-grade students from Cardinal Spellman High School, including myself, hopped in a bus and drove almost an hour to Acushnet for one of the most eye-opening experiences of our lives. As none of us had ever been to GiftsToGive or knew about everything it stands for, we quite frankly didn’t know what to expect for the trip. Despite this, though, the students and I were just as excited as ever to get to work and make a difference in the poverty surrounding our area.

We met a GiftsToGive volunteer manager upon arrival and from his enthusiasm we knew our experience would be worth something. Throughout the day, he put us all to work sorting clothes, folding clothes, cleaning and sorting toys, organizing toys, pairing shoes, and everything else imaginable you can do in an old factory full of thousands of pounds of donations per week. Students and senior citizen volunteer staffers worked side-by-side for the good of thousands of children living in poverty in our area today. The numbers were appalling and gave everyone a new perspective on the poor in America and just how large that population is. 24 million children in America live in poverty.

GiftsToGive’s philosophy in incorporating all of the generations to help others really comes to life at the GiftsToGive factory, and to get a firsthand opportunity to work hands-on towards this goal was an honor.

GiftsToGive couldn’t help but remind me of Santa’s Workshop, a place where young and old make innocent dreams come true. We learned how the wrapping paper used for the birthday presents sent out every week was decorated by children as young as 3 and 4. Senior citizen volunteers work as employees, and teen volunteers from schools all over come to take part in the goodness of serving. No matter how small or how tall, everybody has a place, and everything has a purpose at GiftsToGive. As it says on the wall in the colorful entrance of the building, “Everybody can be great, because everyone can serve.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Here are some things Cardinal Spellman students had to say;

“I didn’t expect the level of organization at the facility…it [GiftsToGive] really allows for people of all ages to volunteer and serve someone.” – Caitlin, chaperone.

“It was very rewarding to help these children who don’t have all of the necessities we take for granted.” – Jewel, student.

“As far as giving goes, I was impressed with the standards they have for the quality of the donations. It really shows how much the people they [GiftsToGive] serve mean to them, and goes against the typical notion of ‘beggars can’t be choosers.’ It’s an equality thing, and I think that’s so empowering to the people receiving the donations.” – Emily, student.”

Two remarkable young women paid us a visit this afternoon, Fairhaven High School seniors, Maddie and Hannah. They made a gift to us in the form of a check for $660!

They told us a most amazing story. “Jewelry-making is an ordinary activity that many young girls enjoy throughout adolescence. Making friendship bracelets and key chains is a memorable part of our childhood. Last Spring, we reconnected with the hobby by learning the practice of fabricating a sophisticated, marketable bracelet. We spent the spring preparing to sell ‘Good Beads’ at Fairhaven’s annual homecoming fair. ‘Good Beads’ are a variety of beaded bracelets made from wire and macrame string.

We recently hosted the 7th Grade from Freetown-Lakeville Middle School. We could tell you what the experience was like for us, but student journalist Lucas E. Quinn sent us this essay and the photos are by student photographer Julie Medeiros. (Photos from their visits are here.)

” Rows upon rows of shelves lined the walls. Everything on those shelves had been donated from someone like us. Colorful toys were being cleaned and fixed and given new life, so that more families in poverty would have something to look forward to. This was the view I took in when I first walked into the factory known as GiftsToGive.

“Leah volunteered in December at the GiftsToGive Philanthropy Factory. While we were there, she learned that they were in need of new soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, children’s under garments and children’s toothbrushes. When Leah heard this she knew she wanted to help.

It hit close to her heart since her family is very involved in sports. Sports equipment is all over her house, she wanted every kid to be able to have a ball.

Leah turned 10 on February 18th and for her sleepover, she asked that everyone bring items for GiftsToGive in lieu of gifts. She was very excited to see the amount of balls that everyone donated!”

On a very rainy and cold Saturday morning sixteen Bishop Stang High School Students chose to make a difference. Their gift of donations and time will help over 50 local children, many of them homeless and all of them living in poverty!

Student Hallie Manchester had this to say about their visit – ” I woke up on Saturday at 7:30 to drive to Stang, where a medium sized group of us would meet before spending the day at GiftsToGive in New Bedford. Unsure of what to expect, I went through my normal morning routine and got breakfast with two of my friends who would be with me all day. When the three of us got to Stang, we went into one of the administration offices where there was a large amount of donated objects from clothes to children’s toys. As we loaded the bags and boxes into our cars, we were feeling anxious and wondered what this place was going to be like. We all were groggy and tired yet excited to be having the opportunity to help others.

We literally were overwhelmed with a huge donation of great new toys and other items on Saturday from FOUR year-olds, Lily and Matthew.

We work everyday at receiving donations from some very remarkable people, lots of them children, but this donation was overwhelming for us. It was overwhelming not only for the volume of the things we received but for how and why they came to us. We were so busy the day they arrived we really didn’t get to hear the whole story. We emailed their mother and asked for details. What we got back was the best email in recent memory.

We focused this special holiday on our service learning initiative with local Middle School students. We bused two-hundred students to Normandin Middle School.

Forty high school and college student leaders and select faculty, facilitated a three hour “Teach-in” revolving around the history of the voting rights movement, the activism and specifically, how students made a difference then and can again. The program also focused on the importance of voting and participating citizenship. (Day after local press here).